213. How to manage a genius, with Steve Roest, CEO of PocDoc

Truth, Lies and Work

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture — brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals.
Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this is your Thursday deep-dive with a workplace expert.

🎙️ This Week’s Guest: Steve Roest

What do you do when you’re leading people who are smarter than you?

This week, we’re joined by Steve Roest, CEO and co-founder of PocDoc — one of the UK’s fastest-growing health tech startups. Steve leads a team of scientists and engineers developing cutting-edge diagnostics — despite not being a scientist or an engineer himself.

In this episode, Steve shares how he turns that so-called “weakness” into a leadership superpower. You’ll hear how he builds high-performance teams, handles ego, and keeps world-class experts aligned without stifling innovation.

💡 Key Takeaways from Steve Roest

• You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room.
  Steve explains how leaders can succeed by focusing on vision, coordination, and culture — not technical control.

• Confidence isn’t the same as competence.
  Hiring for collaboration skills is just as important as technical ability. Steve shares how PocDoc screens for ego and team fit.

• Brilliance needs boundaries.
  The best ideas often come from freedom — but only when that freedom is shaped by clear goals and customer needs.

🔗 Resources & Links
Website: https://pocdoc.co/
Steve Roest on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveroest/
Steve’s podcast – The Health Tech Hour: https://open.spotify.com/show/5pZb65BCLauYxbJrbzDQfP

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🧠 Support with Mental Health and Well-being
Mind UK: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123 or email [email protected]

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne
Truth, Lies & Work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truth-lies-and-work/
Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott
Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne
Email: [email protected]
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